Bacon Takes Center Stage in Easton Again

PA Bacon Fest fundraiser supports GEDP programs, including free concerts and events throughout the year

The seventh annual festival returns 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 3 & 4. In past years, 80,000+ have made their way to the festival, from as far south as Florida, as far north as New England and as far west as Oregon. This year, Parade.com named PA Bacon Fest one of the country’s “5 Can’t Miss Bacon Festivals,” prompting many bacon lovers to add it to their list of ‘must sees.’

But more than just a delicious weekend, PA Bacon Fest is also a fundraiser for the nonprofit Greater Easton Development Partnership. Volunteers at the gates will ask for a $2 donation for the nonprofit. Proceeds from the event support free concerts and programming throughout the year in Easton, such as Easton Out Loud, Live at the Falls, and many other events that make Easton an attraction for visitors and home for residents.

Every person who donates will also receive a raffle ticket to win a gift basket from an Easton business. Names will be drawn for the raffle four times each day of the festival.

“We spend much of the year gearing up for PA Bacon Fest,” says Marcy McKinney, Manager of Special Events and Promotions for GEDP. “It takes a lot of work, hundreds of volunteers and a whole lot of bacon to pull off this event. But we love welcoming people to this festival and to our city, and know this year is going to be one amazing bacon-filled event.”

Festival highlights

This year’s festival promises more than 100 food, craft, and merchandise vendors; 15+ live musical acts, cooking demos, tastings and a whole lot of bacon! Plus, join us after the festival for a funky after-party with Funkmaster David Dye. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Funky Friday dance parties, Dye’s traveling to only three spots in the state, and Easton’s one of them. (6-9 p.m., Easton Hospital Gallery at State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., FREE but RSVP required, https://tinyurl.com/FunkyFriday-RSVP).

Check out these other 12 can’t-miss events:

Cheek-to-Cheek (11 a.m. Saturday, FREE) Dundore & Heister is a whole animal, old-school butcher shop located in Easton Public Market. Their chefs will be at the Farm to Fest Culinary Stage in Centre Square offering tips to cook with the lesser known cuts and how to make them taste delicious!

Mechanical hog rides (Saturday and Sunday, $7 per ride) See how long you can last on ‘Harley’ the mechanical pig.

Bacon & Brew Tasting* (Noon – 5 p.m.*while supplies last, Saturday and Sunday, $20 per person, tickets purchased on site) Guests over the age of 21 can sample eight Weyerbacher beers along with eight specialty varieties of bacon from Breakaway Farms in this unique pairing. Buy your tickets ahead of time for the VIP hour (11 a.m. to noon Saturday and Sunday, $25, pabaconfest.com/schedule) and receive a commemorative PABF beer mug.

Cookbook Signing and Demo from Joanna Saltz, presented in partnership with Book & Puppet Co. (2 p.m. Saturday, FREE) The author of “Delish: Eat Like Every Day’s the Weekend” will teach you to make Bacon-Weave S’mores at the Farm to Fest Culinary Stage in Centre Square!

Everything’s Better With Bacon Cooking Demo (11 a.m. Sunday, FREE) Easton Public Market Chef Ada Chandler will show you five festive party dishes made better with bacon at the Farm to Fest Culinary Stage in Centre Square!

Racin’ Bacon 5K (9 a.m. Sunday, Riverside Park, pre-registration required, http://pabaconfest.com/bacon-dash-5k/) Runners try to pass three pig mascots as they dash along the course, with the promise of beer and bacon at the finish line.

Bacon Battle (2 p.m. Sunday, FREE) Local chefs vie for the 2018 Baconator title as they cook their way through a mystery bag of ingredients – and a pound of pasture-raised bacon from Breakaway Farms.

The Bacon Shuttles will be back for PA Bacon Fest 2018. Shuttle lots will be located at Braden Airpark (3800 Sullivan Trail, Forks Township) and Northampton County Courthouse (669 Washington St., Easton). For the fourth consecutive year, it will cost only $10 per car and $5 per motorcycle to park in one of the offsite lots and ride the shuttle to the festival. Shuttles will run approximately 15-45 minutes throughout the festival. Those who live within walking distance of a shuttle lot may also ride the shuttles to the festival for only $5.

Parking will also be available on a first come, first served basis at three city parking lots: City of Easton Pine Street Parking Garage, City of Easton South Third Street Parking Garage and the lot at Third and Washington Streets. Parking at all city lots will be available for a $10 flat fee all day.

PABF visitors can use their pedal power and ride their bicycles to the festival, utilizing bike racks throughout the city (locks not provided). Car sharing services, such as Lyft and Uber, can also be used to get near festival grounds.

More about the festival and its lineup of activities can be found at pabaconfest.com.